Terminology

Adaptation: Adaptation is the characteristic behaviour of individuals who, when confronted with a problem, turn to the conventional rules, practices and perceptions of the group to which they belong (which, may be, a working group, a cultural group or a professional or other occupational group), and derive their ideas towards the solution of the problem from these established procedures. When there is no ready made answer provided by the repertoire of conventional responses, then the adaptor will seek to adapt or stretch a conventional response until it can be used in the solution of the problem. Thus much of the behaviour under this heading is seen as making improvements on existing methods, or as Drucker puts it "doing better‑what is done already‑a strategy which tends to dominate management."

Innovation: Innovation is the characteristic behavior of individuals who, when confronted with a problem, attempt to reorganize or restructure the problem, and to approach it in a new light, free from any of the customary perceptions or presuppositions which would be the conventional starting‑point for its solution. Innovators thus produce answers which are less predictable and thereby sometimes less acceptable to the group; see Table 6.1. This approach can be described as “doing things differently” in contrast to the Adaptor's “doing things better. “

Adaptor

Innovator

Characterized by precision, reliability, efficiency, methodicalness, prudence, discipline, conformity.

Concerned with resolving problems rather than finding them.

Seeks solutions to problems in tried and understood ways.

Reduces problems by improvement and greater efficiency, with maximum of continuity and stability

Seen as sound, conforming, safe, and dependable.

Liable to make goals of means.

Seems imperious to boredom. Seems able to maintain high accuracy in long spells of detailed work.

Is an authority within given structure.

Challenges rules rarely; cautiously, when assured of strong support.

Tends to high self-doubt. Reacts to criticism by closer outward conformity. Vulnerable to social pressure and authority; compliant.

Is essential to the functioning of the institution all the time, but occasionally needs to be “dug out” of his systems.

When collaborating with innovators: supplies stability, order and continuity to the partnership.

Sensitive to people, maintains group cohesion and cooperation.

Provides a safe base for the innovator’s riskier operations.

Seen as undisciplined, thinking tangentially, approaching tasks from unsuspected angles.

Could be said to discover problems and discover avenues of solution.

Queries problems’ concomitant assumptions; manipulates problems.

Is catalyst to settled groups, irreverent of their consensual views; seen as abrasive, creating dissonance?

Seen as unsound, impractical; often shocks his opposite.

In pursuit of goals treats accepted means with little regard.

Capable of detailed routine (system maintenance) work for only short bursts. Quick to delegate routine tasks.

Tends to take control in unstructured situations.

Often challenges rules, has little respect for past custom.

Appears to have low self-doubt when generating ideas, not needing consensus to maintain certitude in face of opposition.

In the institution is ideal in unscheduled crises, or better still to help to avoid them, if he can be controlled.

When collaborating with adaptors: supplies the task orientations, the break with the past and accepted theory.

Insensitive to people, often threatens group cohesion and cooperation.

Provides the dynamics to bring about periodic radical change, without which institutions tend to ossify.